Method of making socket wrenches



Aug'. 12, 1930. w. KLEIN 1,772,723

A METHOD OF MAKING SOCKET WRENCHES Filed Aug. 4, 192s 4 4 I a 1 l 4 8 2 7 v C/ 4 INDENTOR.

ATTORNEI].

Patented Aug. 12,- 1 930.

WALTER r. KLEIN, or MILWAUKEE,

WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB T0 SNAP-ON WRENCH PANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WTBOONSIH amnion o'r maxme socxa'r wmcnas Application filed Au ust, 192 a. sum No. 29am.

This invention relates to a method of making socket wrenches and more particularly straight walled sockets, although it may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

The usual method of forming the nutenga ing portion of a socket wrench or detacha le wrench sockets is to bore a hole in the stock to the required length, then undercut or provide an annular groove at the bottom of the wrench engaging portion and then broach out the hole to form the nut or bolt engaging faces of the socket, the annular groove being out in so that the chips will break off as they are sheared in communication therewith. This method embodying the use of the annular groove is objectionable.

because the formation of this groove necessitates a special, rather slow and costly operation of boring and at the same time it either weakens the wall of the shank of the socket or necessitates a greater amount of stock to strengthen this wall. Furthermore, thickening the wall prevents the wrench from.

laces where the clearances are being used in resent invention the close. According to the step of boring out or ot erwise formin the annular groove is dispensed with an the socket, after being broached .to the required length, has the chips removed at its shank, preferably simultaneously, in any suitable manner by a shearing or similar 0 eration thus preserving the original wall t ickness and greatl reducing the cost of producing the finishe article.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a wrench socket before broaching.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the broaching step.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line i4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the chip removal step.

-ment designed for that pur. ose. In accor Figure 6 is a pers ective view, partly in section, showing the nished socket.

It. will be understood that the-invention is applicable to those sockets formed inte 9.1 with their handle, the whole tool 'beingfi es- Bl ignateda socket wrench, and those sockets which are detachable from interchangeable handles or used with other sockets on. the same handle and known as wrench sockets. 1-

The method is illustrated in connection with a wrench socket which initially-comprises a partly finishedsocket pre aredfor reaching by boring the hole 8 t erein or axially therethrough. As-previously pointed out, the next usual step in the formation of the socket isto cut an annular roove in the shank portion of the socket w ich necessitates the'use of a cutting tool that must be inserted in the hole 8 for longitudinal and then lateral feeding with alathe or other equig-r 7 ance'with the teachings of t e present invention, this ste with the disadvantageous structural ,design thereof, is entirely obvi' ated in that the socket 7 is immediately I broached by resort to any suitable broaching tool in accordance with the customary pracice.

The broach 9 then proceeds axially in the bore 8- for any selected distance to cut or form so the longitudinally dis osed, circumferentially spaced grooves in the stock to constitute nut or bolt engaging corners or faces 10. During this operation the chips 11 are forced outwardly and downwardly (see Figure 3), and then the chips are sheared or otherwise broken off by any suitable tool to form the completed socket. I prefer to cut or break off all of the chips 11 simultaneously by resort to a suitable plain broach or shearing W tool attached to any appropriate holder 13, it being of a diameter to almost embrace the interior surface of the bore 8 for free axial movement therein to complete its operation. As a result, the chips 11 are segregated from the bore 8 to present a finished socket (Figure 6 Various changes may be made in the em.- bodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. The method of forming wrench sockets 5 from stock which consists in forming a socket bore therein, broachin said socket bore to form nut corner engaging means with consequent chip formations extending within said bore, and then separating the chips from the 10 bore of the stock at their region of joinder therewith.

2. The'method of forming wrench sockets which consists in forming a bore entirely through stock material, partially broaching 15 said bore to form nut'engaging corners with consequent chi formations therein, and than severingt e chips from the bore by a shearing operation to effectv the removal thereof through the unbroached portion m thereof. y

8. A method of forming wrench sockets which consists in roviding a bore axially through cylindricai stock, partially broaching said bore from one end with conse uent as chip formations 'oined to the interior 0 said stoc and then e ecting the severance of said 7 chip ormati'ons for discharge from said bore. 7 I 4. A method of forming straight exterior a 9 walled wrench sockets which consists in proso 'viding an axial bore through cylindrical stock, then partially breaching said. bore from one end to define nut engaging corners with a surrounding wall ofsuch thinness as to afford nut turning with minimum clearas ance, and effecting a shearing severance of the joined chip formations for discharge through the other end of said bore.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

WALTER F. KLEIN. 

